Locomotive-stoker



N. M. LOWER. LOCOMOTIVE STOKER.

APPLlCATlON FILED AUG. l, 1918.

Patented May 24, 1921.

In m zgank 92 awe). Yaw? NATHAN M. LOWER, 01* PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNUR TO LOCOMOTIVIE $TOKEB CGMPANY, A. CORPORATION OF EENNSYLVANIA,

LOCOMUTIVE-STOKER.

Application filed August 1, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, NATHAN M. LOWER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Pittsburgh, county of Allegheny, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locomotive- Stokers, of which the following is a speci" fication, and which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

The invention relates to stoking mechanism for locomotives adapted to transfer fuel from the tender to the fire-box of the locomotive by means of a conduit; its object being to improve that portion of the device through which the fuel is transferred from the tender to the locomotive.

More specifically, it relates to means for flexibly uniting the two sections of the transferring conduit in such manner as to permit their convenient separation; to provide improved means for journaling the forward end of a conveying screw housed within the conduit, and to provide for the free discharge of fuel from the screw.

The invention consists in a structure such as hereinafter described, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings showing a detail vertical sectional view of the rear end of the locomotive and the forward end of the tender and of the transferring mechanism.

The floor of the locomotive is represented at 10, and the back wall ofits fire-box at 11. The forward end of the tender is shown at 12, and the coupling mechanism for uniting the locomotive and tender is conventionally shown at 13.

The conduit for transferring the fuel from the tender to the locomotive is seetional, its rearward portion 14 leading forwardly from the tender and its forward portion 15 being in the form of a chambered body mounted upon the frame of the locomotive and adapted to deliver fuel to one or more elevating conduits, as 16, from which it is delivered into the fire-box in any known manner. The two sections of the conduit are telescopically united by a form of ball and socket joint so constructed that the sections may be easily separated when the tender is detached from the locomotive. To this end the inner or entering section, preferably the one associated with the tender, is provided with an external longitudi- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May ea, rear,

Serial No. 247,762.

nally convex surface 17, forming the ball portion of the joint, and the socket portion of the oint, preferably formed in the chambered body 15, is adapted to permit the free insertion and withdrawal of the ball. 'As shown, the inner surface 18 of the socket is longitudinally straight, the ball portion of the joint fitting closely therein.

The two conduit sections are held in interfitting relation by means of a link 19, pivotally attached to both sections, at one end by means of a vertical pivot 20 and at the other by means of a horizontal pivot 21. Preferably, though not necessarily, these pivots are associated, respectively, with the chambered body 15 and the rearward section 14: of the conduit.

W hen it is desired to disconnect the tender and locomotive, it is necessary only to remove one of the pivots 20 or 21, thereby permitting the free withdrawal of the ball from the socket.

Within the conduit section 14 there is housed a transferring conveyor screw 22. The forward end of the shaft 23 of this screw is without other support than the screw vane. This vane is of less diameter than the conduit through its major portion, but its last or forward turn 24; is of greater diameter and rests and turns upon the bottom of the conduit section 14. In order to secure a suitable bearing surface this turn 24 of the vane has its rim face widened beyond the necessary width of the rim faces of the remaining turns of the screw.

The last turn 24 of the screw not only serves as a journal but, being of greater diameter than the remaining turns, it has greater fuel-advancing effectiveness and in consequence delivers the fuel to the chambered body in a less compact mass than would otherwise be the case, thus increasing the ease with which the fuel is picked up by the elevating mechanism associated with the upstanding conduit.

While there is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, various changes of detail may be made without departing from its scope.

I claim as my invention- 1. In combination, a locomotive, a tender, a fuel transfer conduit comprising two telescopically and flexibly related sections, the inner portion of the entering sections having its outer surface longitudinally convex, the inner surface of the receiving section of the joint being longitudinally straight, and, a link holding the two sections in engagement and being pivotally attached to each section.

2. In combination, a locomotive, a tender, a fuel transfer conduit comprising two sections connected by a freely flexible and separable ball and socket joint, and a link pivotally attached to each section exterior of the conduit.

3. In combination, a locomotive, a tender, a fuel transfer conduit comprising two telescopically and flexibly related sections, and a link connecting the two sections exterior of the conduit and being pivotally attached to each.

4:. In combination, a locomotive, a tender, a fuel transfer conduit comprising two telescopically and flexibly related sections, the forward section being a chambered body for delivering fuel to an elevating conduit, and a link exterior of the conduit pivotally attached to the chambered body to have universal movement and to the rearward section of the conduit for flexure in vertical plane.

5. In combination, 'a' locomotive and tender, a separable coupling uniting said vehicle, a conduit extending between said vehicles, a readily separable universal joint for the conduit, one member of which joint is carried by the locomotive and the other member by the tender and a readily separable coupling for the conduit sections external thereof and being pivotally attached to each.

6. In combination, a locomotive, a tender, a fuel transfer conduit comprising two telescopically and flexibly related sections, the end portion of the entering section having its outer surface longitudinally convex, the inner surface of the receiving section of the joint being longitudinally straight, and means for normally preventing complete separation of the sections.

NATHAN M. LOWER. 

